The present invention relates to an athletic ear guard assembly such as that worn by a wrestler and in particular to an ear guard assembly having removable ear pads to facilitate a thorough cleaning of the ear guard assembly.
During a wresting match, the opposing wrestlers are in close bodily contact with one another as well as in contact with the wrestling mat. As a result, it is possible that bacteria and or viruses carried on the skin or clothing of one wrestler can be transferred either directly to an opposing wrestler or can be transferred to the mat where it can be picked up by a subsequent wrestler. Such a transfer of bacteria or viruses is most likely with respect to diseases involving open wounds or sores such as cold sores. Of recent concern is the transmission of herpes simplex I between wrestling opponents. To help prevent the transmission of contagious diseases, increasing attention has been given to hygiene of wrestlers. It is recommended that wrestlers shower both before and after practice and that clean clothing be issued before each practice.
Wrestlers at virtually all levels of competition are required to wear protective head gear that covers the wrester's ears to prevent abrasion injuries to the ears. During use, the head gear collects perspiration and, by virtue of contact with the opponent and the wrestling mat, the head gear can collect bacteria and viruses. The perspiration provides an environment conducive for the growth of the bacteria or virus. Typical wrestling head gear has been constructed in a manner that creates numerous crevices for harboring perspiration and bacteria or viruses, making thorough cleaning and drying of the head gear relatively difficult.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to improve the hygiene of wrestlers by providing head gear that can be easily cleaned to thoroughly remove all perspiration, bacteria, viruses etc., that are collected during a wrestling match.
It is a feature of the present invention to construct the head gear with a pair of concave cup sections for placement over the wearer's ears. Each cup section has a removable inner ear pad for direct contact with the wearer's ear. The inner ear pad is removable from the cup section by hand, enabling both the ear pads and the cup sections to be thoroughly washed, cleaned and dried.
It is a further feature of the present invention that both the inner ear pads and the concave cup sections are manufactured as flat molded parts that are later contoured into a concave shape. The flat molding simplifies the manufacturing process and facilitates printing of graphics to the outer side of the cup sections for team logos, etc.
Further objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following description and the appended claims when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.